ANOTHER busy day lies ahead for our football teams, with all four of our semi-professional outfits scheduled for action.

Northwich Victoria and Barnton have home fixtures in the North West Counties League, while Witton Albion and 1874 Northwich are on the road in their Northern Premier League games.

For Witton, they face a game against another side struggling at the wrong end of the Premier Division table.

Carl Macauley takes his side, who currently sit second-bottom of the league, south to take on Mickleover, who are one point and two places above them.

A combination of the weather and Covid means Albion have played fewer games than most of the teams around them, but the need for points is growing with their last taste of victory coming back in October.

The same combination means Mickleover have not played for three weeks, with their last outing – a 4-1 win at Hyde United on New Year’s Day – ending a six-match winless run.

After three straight home games in the league, 1874’s first away game of 2022 sees them travel to Lancashire to take on Colne, who like them occupy a mid-table position in the NPL West Division.

Having lost to promotion contenders Workington and Runcorn Linnets in their past two league outings, a return to winning ways could see Greens re-establish their top-half position.

Vics welcome Litherland REMYCA – the NWCFL Premier Division’s bottom side who have lost 11 of 12 league games – to the U Lock It Stadium as they aim once again to put a winning run together.

It is a game that sees the division’s second-best attack – only second-place Skelmersdale have hit the net more times than Steve Wilkes’ side – face its leakiest defence, with Litherland having conceded 76 times.

Over at Townfield, Barnton host relegation-threatened Rocester in a bid to continue their promising form.

The Villagers are unbeaten in six First Division South outings while their visitors are in the relegation zone, six points adrift of safety.